Woman treated after possible road rage

June 20, 2007|Tribune Staff Report

MISHAWAKA -- A Mishawaka woman was treated at a local hospital after she allegedly tried to open the door of another vehicle in what police are calling a road-rage incident. According to a police report, a 29-year-old South Bend man told police the car in front of him stopped suddenly to avoid a car that had cut off that driver about 11:40 a.m. Monday. That meant he had to stop suddenly to avoid the second car. He and the car in front of him then stopped at a light at Lincoln Way East and Capital Avenue/Indiana 331, and the woman driver got out of her car "waving her arms and swearing," according to the man. He told police that when the woman reached into his van, his wife threw a drink in her face and told her to get away from the van. The man then drove away, with the woman driver trying to open the back van door where children were riding. He stopped at the fire station on Lincoln Way East to wait for police. Police said the 45-year-old Mishawaka woman told them she got out of her car to tell the driver of the van not to follow her so close "because it was making her nervous and she has panic attacks." She told police she became angry when the drink was thrown at her, and she tried to open the van doors to get the man's driver's license. According to the police report, the woman began yelling at police and throwing hospital equipment while authorities were trying to get her side of the story at the hospital. She reportedly told police she "has anger problems" and "blacked out" when the van almost ran into her. The woman was cited for driving with a suspended license. Reports have been sent to the St. Joseph County prosecutor's office for review.